1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a vehicle navigation system, and more particularly, to a searched route display method.
2. Related Art
A related vehicle navigation system (as developed by Yazaki Corporation of Japan) displays a road map on a map display screen while the current position of a vehicle is maintained in the center. In accordance with movement of a vehicle, a road map is scrolled while the position of the vehicle is maintained in the center, thereby affording convenience, such as the provision of road information, to a user in retrieving a route.
The vehicle navigation system is equipped with a route search engine, there enabling retrieval of a route from a starting location to a destination by way of en route points, the starting location, destination, and en route points being set by the user, and display of a retrieved route on a map display screen.
For example, as shown in FIG. 9, according to a related retrieved route display method, all the retrieved route segments from a starting location (Flag S) to a destination (Goal Checkered Flag) by way of en route points (Numbered Flags) are uniformly indicated by solid lines.
However, according to a known retrieved route display method which shows all the retrieved route segments uniformly through use of solid lines, a route display becomes complicated if the number of en route points is increased. A segment between the starting location and an en route point, a segment between en route points, and a segment between n en route point and a destination become difficult to distinguish from each other.
The present invention has been conceived to solve such a drawback of the background art and is aimed at providing a vehicle navigation system for enabling display of a route segment along which a vehicle is currently driving and all retrieved route segments, as well.
The present invention provides a vehicle navigation system capable of retrieving a route interconnecting a starting location and a destination by way of en route points, the starting location, destination, and en route points being set by a user, and displaying the retrieved route on a map display screen, the system including:
a display determination device for determining whether settings are made to display all route segments interconnecting the starting location and the destination by way of en route points or to display a route on a per-segment basis, such as a route segment interconnecting the starting location and one of en route points, a route segment interconnecting en route points, or a route segment interconnecting one of the en route points and the destination; and
a display control device which extracts, from among the retrieved route segments, a route segment along which the vehicle is currently driving when the display determination device determines that a route is to be displayed on a per-segment basis, to thereby make the route segment distinguishable from the other route segments.
The present invention enables a user to determine whether to display all route segments or to display a route on a per-segment basis. If display of a route on a per-segment basis is selected, a route segment along which a vehicle is currently driving is displayed so as to become distinguishable from the other route segments. Consequently, the vehicle is guided along a route in an easily-readable manner.
Preferably, the display control device displays only the route segment along which the vehicle is currently driving and does not display the other route segments.
In a case where display of a route on a per-segment basis is selected, only a route segment along which the vehicle is currently driving is displayed. Consequently, a vehicle is guided along a route in an easily-readable manner.
Preferably, the display control device displays, through use of a solid line, the route segment along which the vehicle is currently driving.
According to the present invention, the route segment along which the vehicle is currently driving is displayed in a very easily-distinguishable manner, thus rendering a display much easier to read.